cava tours

if you have a day, or at least a half-day, you can catch a train from plaça catalunya to san sadurni d'anoia and visit the freixenet winery. the renfe fare should be about 5 euros to get there, and trains leave frequently, but it's best to check the timetables and get there early. the freixenet tour includes guided tours (in english) of the caves where the bottles are stored, the bottling factory, and a complementary tasting at the end. when we went, there weren't many people, so we got to do the tasting for the whole group. the tour is actually pretty impressive, and the whole thing is free*. after the tour, you can get back on the train and hop off at random stops for a small adventure. the region is called alt penedes and is the center of cava production, so you're bound to find something to explore. cordoníu also has a bodega with tours. if it's grapes your interested in and not the bodega caves, there's a 2 euro option at the torres vineyards that features a castle AND tasting of one wine.
*note (1/17/08): a recent check of the freixenet website reveals that they now charge 5 euros per adult for the tours. i'd say it's still worth it. it's also probably worth checking out some of the others down there.